Initial Icebreaker and General Interest
Two peers casually start a conversation, expressing general interest in each other's current work or studies and gently steering towards future plans. This is where basic questions like 'What have you been up to?' or 'Thinking about your next steps?' come into play.
两位同伴随意开始交谈，表达对彼此当前工作或学习的普遍兴趣，并逐渐引向未来计划。这是出现比如“你最近怎么样？”或“在考虑你下一步的计划吗？”这类基本问题的地方。
对话
聆听并跟进对话
词汇
对话中的必备词汇和短语
long time no see
This is a casual greeting used when meeting someone after a long absence. It's informal and friendly, like saying '好久不见' in Chinese.
这是一个在长时间不见后与人见面时使用的随意问候。它是非正式且友好的，就像用中文说“好久不见”一样。
up to
In 'What have you been up to?', it means 'doing' or 'busy with'. It's a common way to ask about recent activities in informal conversations.
在“What have you been up to?”中，它的意思是“doing”或“busy with”。这是非正式对话中询问最近活动的常见方式。
keep my head above water
This idiom means barely managing or surviving, especially with work or money. Use it to describe struggling but getting by.
这个习语意思是勉强管理或生存，尤其是工作或金钱方面。用它来描述挣扎但勉强过得去。
swamped
It means very busy or overwhelmed with work. It's informal and useful for talking about a heavy workload.
它意思是非常忙碌或被工作压垮。它是非正式的，有助于谈论繁重的工作量。
career change
Switching to a different job or field. It's a key phrase when discussing future job plans.
切换到不同的工作或领域。这是讨论未来职业计划时的关键短语。
in the long run
Means over a long period in the future. Use it when talking about long-term goals or outcomes.
意味着在未来的很长一段时间内。用于谈论长期目标或结果时。
on the horizon
Means coming soon in the future. It's a metaphorical way to describe upcoming plans or events.
意为未来即将到来。它是一种比喻的方式，用来描述即将到来的计划或事件。
leaning towards
Means tending to prefer or choose something. Use it to express a slight preference for an idea or option.
意味着倾向于偏好或选择某事。用于表达对一个想法或选项的轻微偏好。
open doors
Means create new opportunities. In 'open a lot of doors', it's about how something can lead to more chances in career or life.
意味着创造新的机会。在‘打开很多门’中，它是关于某事如何在职业或生活中带来更多机会。
关键句型
需要记住和练习的重要短语
What have you been up to recently?
This is a casual icebreaker question to ask about someone's recent activities. It's useful for starting informal conversations with friends or peers. The present perfect continuous tense ('have been up to') shows ongoing actions up to now.
这是一个用来询问某人最近活动的随意开场白问题。它有助于与朋友或同龄人开始非正式对话。现在完成进行时（'have been up to'）表示至今为止的持续行动。
I've mostly been busy with work, just trying to keep my head above water.
This sentence shares current challenges in a relatable way. It's great for responding to questions about your life. Note the idiom 'keep my head above water' for barely managing, and the present perfect for recent ongoing situations.
这个句子以亲切的方式分享当前的挑战。非常适合回答关于你生活的问题。请注意习语 'keep my head above water' 表示勉强应付，以及现在完成时用于最近持续的情况。
It got me thinking about the future, you know? Like, what's next?
Use this to transition from present talk to future plans. 'You know?' makes it conversational and seeking agreement. 'What's next?' is a simple way to ask about future steps, common in casual chats.
使用这个来从当前话题过渡到未来计划。'You know?' 使它更具对话性并寻求同意。'What's next?' 是询问未来步骤的简单方式，在随意聊天中很常见。
Are you thinking of a career change, or just moving up in your current field?
This is an open-ended question to explore someone's career goals. It uses alternatives ('or') to give options. Useful for steering conversations towards aspirations; 'moving up' means advancing in position.
这是一个开放式问题，用于探索某人的职业目标。它使用备选方案（“或”）来提供选项。有助于将对话引导向抱负；“moving up”意思是职位晋升。
I'm trying to figure out what I really want to achieve in the long run.
Expresses uncertainty about long-term goals. 'Figure out' means to understand or decide. This sentence is practical for sharing personal reflections; the infinitive 'to achieve' shows purpose.
表达了对长期目标的不确定性。'Figure out' 意思是理解或决定。这个句子适合分享个人反思；不定式 'to achieve' 表示目的。
Do you have any big plans on the horizon?
Asks about future intentions politely. 'On the horizon' implies soon-to-come plans. It's a natural way to inquire about ambitions in friendly discussions.
礼貌地询问未来的意图。'On the horizon' 暗示即将到来的计划。这是友好讨论中自然询问野心的表达方式。
I'm definitely looking into opportunities that align more with my passion for sustainable technology.
Describes searching for jobs that match interests. 'Looking into' means investigating; 'align with' means match well. Useful for talking about career passions; gerund 'exploring' shows ongoing action.
描述寻找与兴趣相匹配的工作。「Looking into」意为调查；「align with」意为很好匹配。用于谈论职业热情；动名词「exploring」显示持续行动。
I feel like it could open a lot of doors.
Expresses how a choice might create future benefits. 'I feel like' is informal for opinions; modal 'could' shows possibility. Great for discussing career advantages.
表达一个选择如何可能创造未来的益处。'I feel like' 是非正式的表达意见的方式；情态动词 'could' 表示可能性。非常适合讨论职业优势。